Self-closing faucet.



lJ. H: GLAUBER.A SELF CLOSING PAUGBT.

' A APPLlOATION FILED IAH'.12, 1911. 1,615,310., l Patented Jan.23, 1912.

2 SHEFTS-SHEET 1.

` imitan V`4125 ingparts for the stem at the top of,y the ,illustrative .of one 7 lim-it thefturn of the ,handle in either di-l 1 obtained by a series of ballsu conlinedpwith-v faces formed within the usual-halndleand i tures of construction are broadly old land" disadvantages residing therein ,Il havepar-l 3'() f which positively causes ,g ject in viewiis tomake'thefaucet compact f., handle .and the nut on fthe body,of"tli e,` faucet.

1,015,310. Application filed January' "12, ieii -order to overcomefcertain objections aridi interior of the handle,x or jointlyv removed with the cap which conceals thetop yof the,`

I speciacati.

To all whom it may concern:V 1 l Be itknown that I, Josilirii H.' GLAUBER, a citizen Aof the United -States, residing atV Cleveland, .in the county of Guyahogmand State of Ohio, 'haveinvented certain .new and .usefulk Improyeinents in, Self-Closingk Faucets, of which `the followingspeci,- fication. K'

My invention appertains to improvements in seliclosing faucets, andthe improve-' ment comprises the constructionyandi; are.. rangement of partssubstantially as herein shown and described Vand more particularly pointed out in the claims.

The'general object isto provide. a faucet which is self-closing-g-one y,that can only be held open under hand-control, and which W will open 1by a turn'ofthe handle' either to the right or the left within limits.: Closing is effected by a coiled spring-and Qpeningis:

inv pockets khavingreversely inclined sur:v

nut at the top of thelfaucet: .'Ihesefea-i,y

very common in thistypeof faucet, butin ticularly I provided 'a vdisk-shaped' ball care*y rier and separator offrelativelythin `metal af.uniforin and` joint riding ofthe balls betweeny therespective inclines, and beingthin requires-wafmlinimum of space in its working rela-tionsg'between the handle and nut;l In factfonef'ob.-

and as low in heightjaspossible,` and-by, making the ball-'carrier 'andseparatorv in adisl form vand of relatively thin niaterial, no additional room -is required-between .theV`v Another object iis 4embodied in; the screw'l cap and index holder, which Vparts"have the double.V function 'of concealing the r lock-g handle and of independently fastening Vthe index' button removably in place, As :conf structed, the 'indeX/` button may be sepas rately removed without uncovering the top stem.-Y

My improved construction also provides a 'simple formof stop-sleeve' to positively "sEIQFPctosING on omettere Iraient;

"spring,v Moreover,

.up-liftthereofwithout twisting yor rotating 60` isx completely assembled, and Fig. 2 is a front `rview. in` perspective thereof with the` index ring vand index button removed. 'F ig. 4rrepresentsthe index ring, and Fig. 4: the infdeX button. VF ig'. 5 is a perspective view. Vof the top portion handle r`with the nut and screw ,exposed which 'fastenss the handle in place 'upon the Aand cap bea parteof: thisf figure. =t1ve view vo ,f' t`he screw cap alone,` and Fig. a a sect-ronalzvi'ew of the-index bu-tton,'

of the-balli carrier with the 'screw at of thje Vvalve t finenibenflock nut,-and locking screwyre-f V-n'ioved v therefrom and; shown, vseparately gabovetheffsaine.

cfm-a;` modified vform of handle and index` 'f 10F-'5 oLvE'rIANoHIo.

'Patented Janes,raie.I Yseai N6. 692,167., f rectionl' to `centrallysupport jtheY coiled i an 'y anti-friction memberis provided fortlie valve stem to produce the stem .andva'flve Aupon turn ofi the handle,

ducive ofeasiery operationof the handle.

Other-'iobjects'are also embodied in other; details off construction, ajll as hereinafter more particularly pointed out.

preventsbind an'dis con- In .the accompanying drawings,fFigure l! a perspective view of my improved faucet of faucet, showing a valve'- stein,*-the -index 'button ingl removed and shown above and vforming Fig. 6 is a; perspecrand cap-;fassernbled;y ...,Fig., 8 is;

a plan view; .of Y the ring. a'v-vplangview and sepaiato13Fig. 8"? is yan enlarged section. thereof, and Fi'g.v l-isk nut' rhaving the reverselyg 85 .f inclinedpclkets for the balls.A v lO'isV a vertical'v sectionalongitudinally of the faucet, fi fvalve.fstemand its lock n ut and i, the: top in elevation.

the inc1ines."'

stem` with antiffriction Fig.-` lSis a sectional ==view holder, Fig-.514. is `ac'siniilar lvienr "off a fnrthermod'ification- As shown, body 2 "Figpll isa 'ci'.ossfse'ction of vthe -faucetonline lle- 11,l Fig. :10Q-sand showing the Ihandleg and-nut: jbrokenawayto disclose the ballcarrierandf separatoi'-1jwith Vone fballV pocketed between Fig; l2 is a perspective viewv` l of the-faucet ismere'ly typelin which my improvement maybe embodied, and` comprises f '105 tubular-neel? t which carriesscrewLniit'. lvefstein Ghaving an-annulai" en,`

Tand avalve head 8 extends-cen` t trally through nut. 5 .j andalso through han- -dle 9, l andjis-- threaded at :its exposed4 lend.

iio segmental 'portion ofthe stemV J fis; removed. to provide' a xflat face 1 0. -Thleg end of the stem is threaded to secure alocknut 11 adjustably thereon, and flat side 10 is utilized to secure an anti-friction member 12 against independent rotation upon the stem beneath lock-nut 11. To further this purpose said member has a D shaped opening therein which is not threaded, thereby permitting axial movement thereof in setting and securing the parts together. Further fixed relation of the parts, particularly nut 11,' isl assured by a headed screw 14 which is adapted to screw into the end of stem 6, the pitch of thread of the screw being less than the external thread on the stem to assure permanent locking. It will also be noted that member 12 is rounded at its bottom edge 15, thereby reducing its bearj ing surface to a minimum where seated upon the fiat bottom 16 of recess 17 within the top portion of handle 9. This is of adof stem 6 is obtained by a rotative movement of handle 9 in either direction, and the elimination of frictionV not only makes the operation of the handle easy and aids selficlined grooves 18 and 19, within the bottom and top of handle 9 and nut 5, respectively,

and by balls 20 confined in the pockets pro duced by these oppositely related parts. Thus, when handle 9 is rotated, it will ride upwardly upon the balls, which latter in turn ride also upwardly on inclines 19. lf not checked, the balls will be carried forward into the next adjacent pocket and the valve will suddenly close itself, which obviously would be a great objection; and moreover, if the balls do not travel uniformly and jointly over like distances, there is always danger of one or more 'of them overriding into adjacent pockets to the detriment of operations. When this occurs, say if one ball only over-rides, the parts become jammed and inoperative. If force is now applied to turn, the handle the seat or balls may be crushed or the faucet otherwise imvpaired. These objectionable results are more apt to occur after wear takes place or if the parts become loose or changed from their original setting. This possible contingency is generally understood and the parts are usually constructed toy avoid troubles of this sort when the faucets are first produced, but positive means are not Y always' originally provided to prevent occurrences of this kind after the faucet has been used and worn and when the play between the parts has become excessive. Therefore, in the first instance, I have provided a fixed and positive stop sleeve 21 at the bottom of nut 5 to limit the upward movement of stem 6 by engagement with enlargement 7, and in the second instance, I have provided a disk-shaped carrier and separator 22 for balls 20 to compel a uniform travel regardless of wear. Stop sleeve 21 also serves to hold a packing gland 23 in place within nut 5 and a flange 24k on said sleeve rests against the bottom of the nut and provides a fixed seat for coil spring 25 which encircles enlargement 7 on stem 6 and bears constantly down upon head 8 to effect self-closing thereof. The degree of axial movement of stem 6 is fixed and determined 4by the amount of play between the. bottom of sleeve 21 and the shoulder formed by the difference in diameters of the stem and its enlargement 7. Sleeve 21 and enlargement- 7 are of the same diameter to hold spring 25 central and prevent tilting and buckling, particularly opposite the gap where stop engagement is obtained. vantage in eliminating friction when uplift Now referring to ball carrier and separator 22, this device is preferably made of two thin superimposed layers of light sheet metal suitably secured together and slightly lcupped in a plurality of places for the balls. yThese balls are thus spaced at equal distances radially about a central opening 26 yand are bodily removed with the carrier,

being permanentlyconfined therein for all lpractical purposes, although the balls may be removed and replaced by pressure from either sidee-there being sufficient spring to the cupped Aedges to permit this to be done. `This is of advantage in making repairs. In

general the balls and carrier are jointly removableand replaceable to facilitate assembling and prevent loss of the balls, but in operation and when in its proper place in the faucet, the disk part 22 is actually .supported by the balls and is lifted bodily to different planes as the balls ride up their vrespective inclines. Therefore this device is not strictly a carrier but more like a connecting collar for the balls, with which a 'uniform rotary travel of the balls about the stem is certain to occur when handle 9 is rotated, and if irregularities or unevenness in the opposed inclines should be niet with in any given faucet, no unequal travel of the balls will result to cause a possible bind or check between the working parts, particularly upon a return or self-closing movement of the valve. Thus, even if a perfect fitting and uniform riding of all the balls is not obtained when the parts are first assembled-due to slight imperfections or irregular shrinkage in the castings, the subsequent wear will bring about la truing up of all the parts and the balls will soon ride evenly over the inclines at equidistant radial lines from the beginning to the end of their travel. This obviously is to the benefit of the faucet after its installation.

Then/the faucet is assembled or taken apart, access to lock-nut 11 and screw 14 is n threaded flange 33 integral with handle 9 to Ithreesepara-te and separablel pleces comprislocling 'of the buttony upon" cap "27: is inde- `this form is preferred on` account of. its. sim,-YV

necessary. If exposedfhowever, theseparts are` objectionable, both' fronifthe standpoint et appearance y and for sanitary reasons."` Therefore, I provideka suitable covering for the upper end of stem, and this vcovering rotates with handlei), and isconstructed of' ing a cap 27, a screw ringy28, and an 'indeX button 29, the latter of -porcelainyusually, although not necessarily.` Cap 27 may eithery be screw7 threaded or plain, and the., first, co'nstri'ict-ion named `is shown in"liigs. 1 lto 13, Whereas the plain form 27 is vdisclosed in Fig. 14., In any event thewap lbecomes a seat or rest for index ybutton [29" Whenever a Abutton his used. If the button is dispensed with a closed screiv cover is substituted for une 28 and cap 27.' ff f In its threaded orm cap 27 yisadaptedlto; screv7 intothe top handle 9 tto encirele. andvcover `nut 11 andy screw 14, and hasay narrow slot introduce a suitable 'tool such as a screws-l driver toscreW for unsceW the samefeither from above when index buttonf29'is removed as in `Fig. 2, or'frombelovv when theindeX button is in place and the caplfremoved Yfrom handle 9, as in Figs. wand. 7.' Screw ring 28 is secured upon cap2-7` by thumb .engage-i ment with knurled bandlV midwayk aboutl the same, and has a'flaring openingvv32 conl-l forming to the tapering Walls of button 29 to lock the sameimrnovably upon (theftopp. portion of `cap 27. In Figs. 1.to l13, thispendent of handle 9, but rinFig. '14, fscrewj ring 28 has screwy engagement with va fasten button 29 upon cap 27and said capy in turn upon handle 9. l

Als. shown in Figsgll to 11, cap 27-has a plain annular band between itsf threaded ends, and screu7 ring28 has a skirting 34to snugly tit about said/bandsthe object being to make as close a joint as possible to'pref' vent fouling andfalso to make a neat appear-r ing joint. .Skirtin'g 34 in Fig. `l@ is also placed on this screvirv ring y28' for thersame reason, but in this instance said slirtingen'- circles `a flange 33 on the handle. Diiien ences in shape or height of different buttonsv 29 make it quite necessary for screw,V ring28f to have an independent play vvor adjustmentV in respectto cap 27 or handle 9, and the!" skirting allows this Without/leaving an un.- sightly gap for the accumulation of dirt.V

. Other lockingmeans than. lnut 11 and screw 14 may be employed to 'seat and iiX'/ anti-friction member 12 upon stein 6, but

plicity andA convenient common tools. n

VVha-t I claim is: l 1. A self-closing faucet Vcomprising abody having a valve-seat and a' valve therefor manipulation by having a= sc'reW-tlneeadedy stein,"- j -anti-friction.member having slidabl'eA inter-v valve vsteniupon rotation having a 'valve- 30 in or-throughits flat top to l shape inn opening oir. substantially f means to adjustably. fix said member in ,sety n position npon said stem, in combination with i. `fa 'handle having a recessed seatjor said*v `to lcolaet therewith .to raise sa .-'having a' sc f formation, sleeved npjon l Y ,rounded bottom, a4 nut to adjustablyfix said y liftmember'fin place'upon said stem, anda 4said vballs, afstopsleeve o as said enlargementadapted to seat against the bottom ofI said nut the said inclines,

locking engagement with the screws-threaded end ofrsaidjstem. andha'ving. a rounded bottoni,y means tot removably' secure said memj beryonsa'id stem, a rotatable handlejhaving a bena-ringl surface for; said anti-friction member, and means to cause* up-lift of said vof said handle. 25A self-,closing j vseat and a valve' `therefor having a" stem, `a spring,

-on saidstem and having a rounded bottom,

means lto ,removably secureV said member in Q adjusted position on said stein, a rotatablev Ahandle Y having a bearing surface. for', said vanti-friction member, yaT screw cap detach-v 'ably'secu'red upon the top of said handle vto l yinclse =said" stem and vparts thereon, andV meansv to cause up-lift 'of said uponfrotation, of said handle.L

having threaded endlof substantially lD.y

ber' having-a rounded -acel and a central.'l D Shapefand member and provided with means adapted upon rotation of saidy handle. j

4l. Inga self-closing faucet, a valve stemV urevv threaded end of segmental vra llift -memberor saidfstemfA locking device for said nut, incombination Witha recessedv 'handle to seat saidlift member, aspring V.to ,depress said .valve stem; and

I a series of ballsy andreversely inclined rests` ,therefor and -or said handle to canse uplift',x

ofisaidy stemtwh en the self-closing having a'-'valve;seat',a valve'ystem having a valveA head and an annular enlargement handle Jis rotated. 'f

faucetl comprising xa `body cross section, anlanti-riction' memidy valve stem said stem vend and having-al faucet comprising a body j .A an 'anti-friction member axially adjustable Without, rotation i f rvalve stem.

ios

above saidffhead tofcentrally seat a spring .and provide a V,stop shoulder on saidstem,n ba screvifnut-on sald body to support. saldi valve stemfand .provided Vwith reversely inclinedball seats,y balls for said seats, aprotatable lift handle forsaid stem seated upon fthe same-diameter and having its lower end spaced yapart from the upper'portion of p saidannular enlargement relatively lessfthan theplane of nplift of travel of said b'allsup saidlsleeve and valve stem enlargement.vv 4

6. In a self-closing lfaucet, a valve stem, va spring,and a rotatable handle having lift' enggementvvith said stern andfprovided at leo' and a spring mounted upon ,c

its bottom with reversely inclined ball seats, in combination with the valve body having a nut provided with reversely inclined ball seats, a series of balls for said seats, and a thin flat disk having cupped portions radially thereof for the balls to bodily carry said disk with and by the balls to diiferent elevations while separating the balls in their travel.

7. In a self-closing faucet, a valve stem, spring, and a rotatable handle having lift engagement with said stem and provided at its bottom with inclined ball seats, in combination with t-he valve body having a nut provided with inclined ball seats, a `series of balls for said seats, and a thin spring-metal member having cupped edges toremovably hold the balls.

8. In a self-closing faucet, a valve having a stem and a spring to eHect self-closing thereof, a rotatable handle having a recessed bottom provided with a series of inclined planes radially thereof, and an anti-friction bearing member upon said stem engaged with said'ha'ndl'e, in combination with a nut for said faucet having an opening for the valve stem and provided with inclined planes at its top, balls between said handle and nut, and a ball separator having an opening centrally for said stem1 said separator being relatively thin and comprising two parts to coniin'e the balls and movable with the balls to different planes upon rotation and uplift of the handle.

9. In a. self-closing faucet, a rotatable handle having a central opening and a vertically movable valve stem projected through said opening and having fastening means to hold said parts in working relation, in combination with an inclosing cap for the top of said handle having an index button, and a removable screw ring to detachably secure said button upon said cap.

10. In a self-closing faucet, a valve stem, a handle having a recess in its to-p and an 11. In a self-closing faucet, a valve stem,

a rotatable'handle, and means to unite said stem and handle, in combination with a screw cap removably secured upon said handle to cover said uniting means, an index button seated upon said cap, and a separate screw ring to removably secure said button in place.

12. In a self-closing faucet, a valve-stem, a rotatable handle separably engaged with said stem` a screw cap removably secured upon the top of said handle, an index button, and a screw ring for said button removably mounted upon said cap.

13. In a self-closing` faucet, a handle, a stem, and means to secure said handle and stem together, in combination with a removable cap for said handle having a slot within its top and provided with screw threads at its opposite ends, an indeX'button seated upon said cap and covering said slot, and a screw ring to removably secure said `button upon said cap.

14. In a self-closing faucet, a valve stem, a rotatable handle and means at the top of said handle to separably fasten said stem and handle, in combination with a removable index button, a removable seat for said button, and a screw ring having a skirting at its lower edge and adapted to fasten said button upon said handle to cover and protect the fastening means for the steln and handle. In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH H. GLAUBER. IVitnesses:

R. B. MOSER, E. M. FISHER.

i C opies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by` addressing the Commissioner of latents,

Washington, D. C. 

